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STEAM the Streets, a nonprofit organization that has been translating career opportunities to young people through culturally relevant media since 2016, has announced that it is expanding its storytelling app to include a marine careers module.
This was made possible with funding from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and technical assistance from staff at the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which is run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and its Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.
In addition to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the STEAM the Streets App is funded by BayCoast Bank, Carney Family Foundation, and McMillan-Stewart Foundation. The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries serves as the trustee for a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 620,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa. The network includes a system of 15 national marine sanctuaries and marine national monuments.
The STEAM the Streets app takes students on a self-guided journey to learn about in-demand careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (STEAM). Each module spotlights diverse, relatable stories featuring Black, Indigenous, and people of color in various professional roles, and then show students a road map with action steps to reach success in those fields. The Marine Science module will feature Dr. Tammy Silva, a research marine ecologist at Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.
“I want kids from my hometown [Fall River in Massachusettes] to know you can do something you love and get paid for it,” says Dr. Silva, “I can’t wait to introduce students to Marine Science, sanctuaries, and NOAA through the App and I’m so excited to be working with STEAM the Streets to inspire a new, diverse generation of scientists.”
The STEAM the Streets App is free and designed for students ages 13 and up. Formal or informal educators and parents can start youth on their journey with a thirty-minute guided lesson. From there, the students can use the app as a learning tool for career exploration on their own, or be guided with regular classroom check-ins. Visit the STEAM the Streets App to learn more.
“I was never exposed to this information as a teenager and ended up dropping out of high school. That meant it took me longer to find my passion and feel settled in a career,” said Angel Diaz, co-founder of STEAM the Streets.,“Now I’m a STEAM teacher, a performer, and a youth motivator. Now I’m trying to inspire youth about exciting career possibilities and share the options I wish I had heard about as a teenager.”